It was here in Puerto Vallarta that the International Whaling Commission met in 1994 and agreed to establish the Southern Ocean whale sanctuary.

However, 12 years on, the whales are still not safe, even in the sanctuary. The IWC (International Whaling Commission) is now seriously under threat of going back to being a pro whaling organisation.

This year’s meeting showed a stark reality: pro-whaling countries have been active in recruiting and buying new countries to vote with them at the IWC, and countries that support whale conservation have not done enough to counter that. The proposal to abolish the sanctuary was only narrowly stopped; 28 voted to abolish it while 33 voted to keep it.

In just over a decade, a single vote against the whale sanctuary has grown to 28 votes. But the people of those countries voting against the whales don’t necessarily support whaling. Whether it be a country whose vote has simply been sold – probably without the public even knowing – or Japan, where the majority of people do not support whaling on the high seas, public pressure can still make those governments accountable.

I can’t think of a last paragraph so I’ll just say bye for now, and go and check on my laundry.